Tennessee continues its pursuit in filling the 2021 coaching staff.
Defensive line is a unit that has been vacant since Tennessee’s Oct. 17 game against Kentucky when Jimmy Brumbaugh was relieved of his duties.
Brumbaugh was is in his first season coaching the Vols’ defensive line.
With mutual interest, Rodney Garner, a former Tennessee assistant, is an ideal fit to fill the vacancy on staff.
Garner coached tight ends and offensive tackles at Tennessee in 1997 for Phillip Fulmer. He also coached tight ends for the Vols in 1996.
The former Vols’ assistant has coached defensive line at Georgia and Auburn.
At Auburn, Garner coached alongside newly hired Tennessee defensive assistant, and former Vol, Kevin Steele.
“Linda and I are excited to be coming home,” Steele said in a University of Tennessee press release. “Tennessee is a special place to me personally. I am truly grateful to Coach Pruitt and Coach Fulmer for this opportunity, and I am eager to get to work alongside them once again. I look forward to helping create an environment where our players are successful and truly embrace what it means to be a Volunteer.”
Steele began his coaching career as a student assistant in 1980 under Johnny Majors for the Vols.
He was a graduate assistant (1981) and outside linebackers coach (1982) at Tennessee. In 1987-88 Steele was defensive backs coach under Majors at UT.
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